In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:1-5 ESV

A rich man died. His family gathered to hear the reading of his will. Someone asked the rich man’s lawyer, “Did he leave anything”? The lawyer replied, “Yes, EVERYTHING“.

Quote, “You can’t take it with you”.Quote, “You never saw a Hurst with a luggage rack”.

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-21 ESV)

Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, (2 Timothy 3:12 ESV)

The Apostle Paul didn’t say that “all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus MIGHT be persecuted”. He said, “all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus WILL be persecuted”.

What does this say about American Christianity. When you compare the current ongoing persecution of Christians in other countries around the world, who are suffering imprisonment, torture and even death, for their desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus, against the practically nonexistent persecution of confessing American Christians, then according to scripture, confessing American Christians who supposedly desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus, must be sorely lacking.

I believe we all should strongly examine the level of our desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus.

Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test! I hope you will find out that we have not failed the test. (2 Corinthians 13:5-6 ESV)

The sin of modern civilization has been well described as “making more of status than it does of character.” But the very essence of Bible religion, is to make character everything–and conduct the test and evidence of character.

Our godless society needs a strict, pure, honest, self-denying, godly-minded church! Conformity to the world–will never convert the world! We are not to accommodate Christianity to the thought and fashion of the times–but to keep it stoutly and steadily up to its original standards. We must stand fast, not only to the faith once delivered to the saints, but to the practices which are enjoined in God’s Word.

Social life, with increase of wealth, has a trend towards demoralization. Luxury weakens morality. Popular amusements become sensualized and offer their temptations to the church. “Do not be conformed to the world” applies to the theater, the ball-room, the wine-cup, and to everything that would turn God’s earth into a “Vanity Fair.” Conformity to the world amounts, in the end, to more than the corruption of Christ’s church. It puts out the light which Christ has kindled; it destroys the very leaven which He has prepared to purify and sweeten and save a “world lying in wickedness.”

You can find the answer in the Bible. In God’s Word, the Apostle Paul instructs the Corinthians in the following way; “NOW CONCERNING THE COLLECTION FOR THE SAINTS: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do. On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come. And when I arrive, I will send those whom you accredit by letter to carry your gift to Jerusalem”. (1 Corinthians 16:1-3 ESV)). They gave 100% of their collections to help other less fortunate Christians.

Where do modern churches spend the money that they collect?

Christianity Today surveyed approximately 272 modern day churches, and on January 1, 2000 reported how the average church spends it’s collections. It goes as follows:

43 percent for staff compensation

20 percent for facilities (rent, mortgage, utilities, upkeep)

16 percent for missions

9 percent for church programs

6 percent for administration and supplies

3 percent for denominational fees

3 percent other.

This use of what they are calling “Giving to God”, is no where to be found in the Bible.

“Whenever you value something too much, whatever happens to it happens to you. Example: car breaks down, you break down.” – If you value Christ above all, then you will never break down, for Christ will never fail us, never forsake us. I’ll Be Honest

Service to the Lord should be a calling, a burning desire, a work of obedience – not a financial strategy, not a source of income and not a career move.

In 1 Corinthians 2:12-13, the Apostle Paul says, “Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things FREELY GIVEN us by God. AND WE IMPART THIS IN WORDS NOT TAUGHT BY HUMAN WISDOM BUT TAUGHT BY THE SPIRIT, INTERPRETING SPIRITUAL TRUTHS TO THOSE WHO ARE SPIRITUAL.”

If you are truly saved, the Holy Spirit will teach you and qualify you as a preacher, not a man-made degree from a Bible college.

All Christians are priests. As the Bible states in Revelation 1:5-6, “and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, PRIESTS to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”